Sunday, April 12, 2015

Lotuslandian blogger, neighbour, and community activist extraordinare, Laila Yuile, has written a tremendously inspiring blogpost in which she explains how it is we, the citizenry, who are best position affect change just by getting involved.

...What matters to you? What impacts your life directly? Write a letter to the editor next time you see a story that touches you in some manner. Write a letter to your provincial MLA, or ask to meet them. Let your member of parliament know what you think of their government’s policy. As them what they actually do, or have done for your community.

That’s not only your right as a citizen, I’m telling you it is your duty as one too.

Ask questions, hard ones and demand answers. In writing. If you get none, write a letter to the editor about that as well. Start a conversation with your neighbour, your co-worker, the person next to you at the bus stop.

The closure of the Kitsilano Coast Guard station was a decision made to save money. It was heavily protested by Vancouver residents and mariners alike. The government still defends that decision.

7 comments:

sd
said...

I'll be sending one to my local paper tomorrow in regards to the tired phrase our mayor uses when pushing for more development and exploitation of farm land. It is,wait for it....... "There have been reports of septic failures and more will continue if we don't install sewers ". Not that this would allow developers to build on current undeveloped land, oh no it's all about health and safety.He used this same line in the 90's and what used to be 20 acres of strawberry's across the street is now wall to wall vinyl housing with illegal suites. My septic hasn't failed in 30 years! However since it is Black Press not so sure they'll publish, but hey she's right, you gotta try.

Absolutely, the more people the better that get in the state of mind Laila brings forth the better! It is a wonderful piece she wrote but beyond that is it is her honest intention to try and motivate and we need more of that.Ask yourself what you would do if you hired a carpenter and that carpenter was very incompetent at what he did…. you'd fire his ass. These politicians should be no different, if the prove to be incompetent then we should show them the door.Enough of the being held hostage by a bunch of fools.

P.S. on a side note Ross i am reading 'life' by Keith Richards and would recommend to anyone musically inclined. Now I'm learning five string open G tuning. Funny at my age.

"I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion." ― Alexander the Great

If citizens don't feel it for a leader they will not engage, and in the case of some BC NDP voters: they will disengage.

Activism is most effective at a local level, quality of life stuff mainly for those already sort of comfortable, or quite comfortable... but in the big picture that engagement does nothing for children in poverty, women at risk, education, health care...

Letters to the editor, if you can get them published in the back waters of BC, are often the first thing people read, they are a good start.

Engaging with politicians who have already shown their hand, often just schools them: this engagement may have the unintended consequence of gifting them counter-arguments to their actions, which may supply material their communication gurus can shape to sculpt a more palatable version of the government's strategy.

Politicians are foremost employees with a lucrative gig, especially for those who would never aspire to such a lifestyle beyond politics. Recall is the big stick. Pretty much everything else we do becomes chatter, soon forgotten.

Don: Welcome to open G (minus bass D=5-string, no?) It's the easiest open, major tuning to get to from concert tuning, easiest to play (especially with the bass D removed so the key note's the bass-at-the ready), and much akin to other instruments you might ensemble with: banjo, "dobro", and mando---maybe even citern.

"Life" is a great book---got a good throw-the-recorder-on-the-kitchen-table feel to it---and the end touchingly bookends the beginning (in tribute to Keef's mother). But I'm not sure his description of the "Nashville" tuning was quite clear---unfortunately my copy has disappeared into the trapline. That, of course, is a G tuning, but using select, octave-higher strings for a bright, "Street-fighting Man" intro sound. I would recommend a dedicated guitar for experimentation else you go through too many strings tuning up and down. I love G tuning (with different slides)---but I guess you can guess why...

G tuning prob'ly be most appropriate for the "Oil Spill Blues", eh, Ross...?

Hey Scotty, yeah it's minus bass D.I;m about half way through the book and thoroughly enjoying it. It brings back so many memories of the times. I was fourteen in '65 so was amazed by the Stones. All this time and playing Stones songs for years and wasn't aware that Keith uses that tuning.I have dedicated one of my guitars to it. It certainly cleared up a lot of mysteries for me and I love it.Certain sounds of that era give me goosebumps like the Mellotron on strawberry fields and moody blues.Glad you enjoyed the book Scotty, I think Ross would too if he sees this conversation.And your correct, perfect tuning for"Oil Spill Blues"Take care!